On May 28th, the Whitehorse Chapter of the Council of Canadians, along with sponsor PSAC (Public Service Alliance of Canada) North, held a panel discussion to examine the impact of trade agreements and industry on the access of local communities to clean water sources. The key speaker was Maude Barlow, international water activist, Chairperson of the Council of Canadians, and author of 16 books including "Blue Covenant: The Global Water Crisis and the Coming Battle for the Right to Water."

From Shipyards Park in Whitehorse, Yukon, Barlow discussed the concept of water as a commons versus a commodity.